Mechanical door operator



June 4, 1957 c. c. BRAGG MECHANICAL DooR- OPERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 14, 1955 7. M lll Clarence 6. Bragg INVEN TOR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR,

June 4, 1957 c. c. BRAGG MECHANICAL DOOR OPERATOR Filed April 14, 1955 IIIHWHHMW 4f .82 415// L M1164, 1957 c. c. BRAGG 2,794,634

MECHANICAL DooR OPERATOR Filed April' 14, 1955 s sheets-sheet s /00 Clarence' 6. Bragg IN VEN TOR.

United This invention relates to a mechanical door operator for mechanically opening yand closing doors, being particularly directed to `an apparatus for opening and closing overhead doors, but not being limited to such use.

The primary object of the present invention is in the provision of a novel moving carriage construction.

A very important object of the present invention is in the provision of a carriage having propelling wheels for moving the carriage along a track, which propelling wheels are driven in response to rotation of a shaft along which the carriage moves.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of a carriage adapted to be freely movably mounted upon a drive shaft and being propelled along the shaft through the medium of propelling wheels carried by the carriage,-

the propelling wheels being turned to move the carriage in response to rotation of the shaft.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of a novel drive means carried by the carriage freely slidably interconnecting lthe carriage to the drive shaft and drivingly interconnected with driven means operatively connected to the propelling wheels and also carried by the carriage.

A highly important object of the present invention is in the provision of a carriage of the aforegoing character wherein the frictional engagement of the propelling wheels with the track may be adjustably varied in accordance with the load to be moved by the carriage.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of Y construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described land claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:Y

Figure l is a side elevational view of the mechanical door operator constituting the present invention utilized in conjunction with an overhead sliding door to open and close the same;

Figure 2 is a top elevational view of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top elevational view disclosing the carriage, drive shaft and track of the door operator;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the carriage taken substantially along the plane of section line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the carriage; and

Figure 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the carriage taken substantially along the plane of section line 6 6 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, attention is rst directed to Figures l and 2 wherein the mechanical operator assembly constituting the present invention is designated by the numeral 10 and is shown in an operative assembly for raising and lowering an overhead door 12 such ias is utilized in conventional garages, warehouses and the like.

The door 12 is comprised of a plurality of hingedly connected panels which slide upwardly and rearwardly along the guide track 14 as the door is opened and forwardly and downwardly to the position shown in Figure 1 as the door is closed.

rates Patent The assembly 10 constituting the present invention is the door'. Noting particularly Figures l and 2, the op'- erating assembly 10 is seen to consist of an elongated drive shaft 16 anked by a pair of cylindrical rails 18, which rails form a guide track. The forward ends of the drive shaft 16 and rails 18 forming the track are attached to the building frame 20 above the door 12 by means of suitable bearings 24 and 26, respectively. Bearing 24 rotatably journals the forward end of the drive shaft 16 therein whereas bearings 26 may simply mount the ends of the rails 18 therein without rotation.

From a portion of the building not shown, spaced rearwardly from the door 12, depends a suspended bracket 28. The rearward ends of the rails 18 are fixed to the bracket 28 adjacent the lower end thereof and the rearward end portion of the drive shaft 16 extends rotatably through the bracket 28.

Mounted on the bracket 2S above the drive shaft 16 on the suitable platform 30 is a conventional motor 32 andspeed reducer 34 for drivingly revolving a pulley wheel 36. A second pulley wheel 38 is xedly mounted on the rearward end of the drive shaft 16 and belt 40 interconnects the pulleys 36 and 38 whereby in response to operation of the motor 32, the drive shaft 16 is rotated. Obviously, other gearing arrangements than the pulley and belt drive could be utilized as desired.

Freely movable along the drive shaft 16 is a carriage 42 which, in conjunction with the drive shaft 16 and the track formed by the rails 18, constitutes the present invention. A link 44 is Vpivotally connected at its opposite ends to the upper end of the overhead sliding door 12 and the carriage 42 whereby the door 12 is raised and lowered in response to movement of the carriage along the track.

With reference to Figures 3 through 6 of the drawings, the construction and operation of the carriage relative to the drive shaft 16 and track rails 18 will become apparent.

Thecarriage 42 comprises a hollow housing 46, preferably discerptible as shown in the drawings. A removable cap 48 closes the top of the housing and provides an access opening for packing the interior of the housing with a lubricant or the like. Axle 50 extends transversely through the upper portion of the housing and projects exteriorly of the housing on the opposite sides thereof. On the exteriorly projecting end portions of the axle 5l) are mounted propelling wheels 52 having nonslip tread surfaces 54. Each of the tread surfaces 54 is formed of rubber or similar material having a grooved periphery 56 curved to seat snugly on the track rails 18 to provide a good traction surface. The hubs 58 of the wheels 52 are fixed to the reduced end portion 60 of the axle 50 by means of suitable pins 62. Bearings 64 disposed in the side wall apertures 66 of the housing 46 rotatably journal the axle 50 through theseapertures.

Pinned as at 68 or otherwise xedly secured to the central portion of the axle 50 within the housing 46 is a helical gear 7) which constitutes a driven means for rotating the axle 50 and consequently the propelling wheels 52.

The housing 46 is further provided with longitudinal, aligned openings at the opposite ends thereof opening into the lower portion thereof, as shown most clearly in Figure 4, these openings being designated by the numeral 72. Bearings 74 rotatably journal a sleeve 76 in the openings. The central portion of the sleeve 76 is provided with a helical gear 78 disposed at right angles to the driven gear 70. The helical gear 78 constitutes a driving gear for the gear 7i). The ends of the sleeve 76 project beyond the ends of the housing 46 of the carriage 42.

Carried on each end of the sleeve 76 constituting the drive shaft is in itself square. Thus, the rollers 82 freely, slidably and non-rotatably engage' the drive shaft 16 whereby upon rotation of the drive shaft, the ydrive gear 76 will be rotated consequently causing-the rotation of the driven gear 70turning the propelling wheels 52 engagingthe track rails 18and causing lthe carriage 42 to` move along the track rails in response to the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 16.

To mount the. rollers, each-bracket j80-is provided with outwardly projecting lugs 84,l these lugsY beingarranged in pairs spaced at 90 angles to-one another, with each pair of lugs S4 having a pin or shaft 86 extending therebetweenrand carryinga roller 82.

Projecting from the undersurface of the housing 46y is a hollow threaded boss 8S. A transversely extendingtie bar 93 extends across and projects at its ends beyond the side edges of the carriage 42. The tie bar 90 is provided centrally thereof with an-opening 92jtherein into which the boss 8S projects. Gusset plates 94 also dependfrom f the undersurface of the housing 46 and engage the opposite side edges of the tie bar whereby the movement of the tie bar is restricted to vertical movement on the boss, no horizontal'or circular movement being permitted. Preferably, there are a series of four gusset plates, two of each being disposed along each side edge of the tie bar 90.

To -adjustably vertically vary the distance of the tie bar 90 from the undersurface-'of the housing 46, a stud or bolt 96 is threaded into the threaded bore of the boss 88. The lower end portion of the stud 96 is also threaded and adjustably carries a cup 98 'on the nut 100. Coil spring 102 surrounds the stud 96 f and is interposed between the cup 98 and the tie bar 90.

To the projecting ends of the are attached saddle bearingsL 1,04V by means of pins 106. The saddle bearings 104 are disposed beneath the track rails in longitudinal alignment therewith. Each saddle bearing carries a longitudinally spaced pair of follower or idler wheels 108 having grooved periphery V110, the curvature of the as the radius of curvature ofthe these grooved peripheries 110 t snugly againstthe track rails 13 and, like the propelling wheels 52' forv the carriage, present the maximum rollingengagement with the track rails 18 and at the same time,l giving atracking'. movement alongthe track rails. Pins 106 are swivel pins allowing the saddles 164.

eect to the carriage in its to swing, whereby the follower or idler wheels 1081m`ay track themselves along the pipe rails and follow the curvature of the track rails in the event they are in other than a straight line.

Obviously, on the stud 96, the spring 98 is compressed or expanded, thereby adjustably varying ythe frictional engagement of the propelling wheels 52 with-the trackv rails 18 whereby'the-engagement ofthe wheels withthe track rails 18 may be vaedwith the load to be pulledby the carriage.

To secure the carriageto-the structure-it is to pull'in the operation of the drawings, an overhead sliding, door 12, the forwardfend of the carriageis provided with a pair of forwardly extending lugs'112 extending :forwardly from the'opposite side edges thereof.V Shaft 114 extendsA between the'lugs 112 andris rotatably journaled to .these lugs, ifH desired. The'endportionsA of-.a.yoke 116 areattached to the ends of the pintor` shaft1'14, the arms of the yoke converging to a `single opposite-.end which is pivotally attached to the-link 44,' as shown inFigureHl.y

The foregoing is. consideredfas illustrative only ofthe principles-of theA invention.` Further, since numerous modifications-and changes-will readily occur to those transverse tie bar 90' groove being-:taken from the same radius guide tracks 18, whereby by tightening` or looseningof the nut 100 and the follower wheels 108l 4 skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is `as follows:

1. A carriage having `propelling wheels for moving the same along a track, driving means including a nest of rollers rotatably carried by said carriage for slidably and non-rotatably engaging a'rotatable driveshaft, driven means interconnecting said driving means and said propelling wheels, said -driving means comprising a sleeve having =a driving gear thereon, said driven means comprising:an,axle 'locatedabove'the .track and extending transversely `of the'- track, said axle carrying said propelling wheels and havinga driven gear thereon in engagement with said. driving.,l gear, follow-wheels. carried by said carriage-and engageable with the track, said follow wheels being disposed in offset relation to said propelling wheels for engaging the trackon .opposite Vsides thereof.

2.v Acarriagey for a pair of spaced, parallel rails and a 1 rotatable, non-circular'drive shaft, saidcarriage comprisingiafpair of driving. wheels. mounted on said rails,an Y

axle ,a:gear :connected with said sleeve and 'enmeshed with the first mentioned gear so that upon rotation of saidgsleeve-said gears :and therefore said axle is set in motiornmeans drivingly connecting said drive shaft with saidsleeve'and,includingra. nestof rollers, and means securingsaidzrollers to one end of said sleeve with said noncircularldrive shaft passed through said rollers andarranged to rotate said nest of rollers as a unit in order to impart rotary motionto said sleeve.

, 3;.,A 'carriage for av pair of spaced, parallel rails and a rotatable, non-'circular drive shaft, said carriage comprising a pair. of driving wheelsmounted -on said rails, an axle connected to said .wheels and mounted transversely of said rails, a housing having a pair of bearings through which said axle passes,fa gear mounted in said housing and fixed to said Yaxle intermediate theV ends thereof, a sleeve in said housingfand arranged at right angles to said axle, a gear connectedwith said sleeve and enmeshed with'the rst mentioned gear so .that upon rotation of said sleeve said gears and therefore said axle is set in motion, means drivingly connecting said drive shaft with said sleeve and including a nest of rollers, and means securing lsaid rollers to one end of said sleeve with said non-circular driveshaft passed through said rollers aridarrangedrto rotate said nest yof rollers as a unit in order to impart rotary motion to said sleeve, said nest of roller mounting means comprisingfa plate, a plurality of brackets carried by said plate, spindles secured to said plurality of brackets and having the rollersof said nest of rollers mounted thereon.

4. The combinationof claim 3 wherein-two of said spindles are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the other two of said spindles. Y

5. The combination of claim` 3 together with means located on the side of said rails opposite tothe side'sjof said rails Voccupied by said driving wheels, and resiliently biasedmeans connecting saidguides tosaid-housing-inorder to yieldingly Vpresssaid guides againstsaid rails.-

References Cited in the le ofrthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

